The Fat Angel Sings

Velocity Girl formed in 1989 or so at the University of Maryland outside Washington DC, and shortly thereafter settled on the lasting lineup of guitarist Archie Moore (Black Tambourine), guitarist Brian Nelson (Black Tambourine), drummer Jim Spellman (Starry Eyes, Foxhall Stacks, High Back Chairs, Julie Ocean, Piper Club), bassist Kelly Riles (Starry Eyes), and singer Sarah Shannon (Starry Eyes, The Not Its). The band combined English-inspired noisy shoegaze fuzz with scrappy US indie rock and classic ‘60s-style pop songwriting. A killer single on Slumberland and non-stop touring grabbed the attention of the indie-rock cognoscenti of the day, and, following a heated courtship involving both dinner AND dessert, Velocity Girl signed a contract on a car hood in Hoboken, New Jersey, making Sub Pop their home.

In 1992 the band began work on their debut album, “Copacetic”, at Easley Studios – once home base to the Bar-Kays and other classic soul bands – in Memphis with Bob Weston (Volcano Suns, Shellac) at the helm, and then mixed the album with Weston in Chicago. While the album had strong songs – pop tunes like “Audrey’s Eyes,” “Pop Loser,” and “Living Well” alongside ambitious explorations like “Pretty Sister” and “Here Comes” – the band had little experience with production and lacked the skills to “drive the boat” in the studio. As a result, the album turned out to be a rather stripped-down affair, lacking the lushness of their prior recordings.

To the band’s ear it was jarring, and they soon realized this wasn’t the record they hoped to make. Bob Weston had done exactly what was asked of him and captured the sounds, but the band didn’t do its part to articulate a clear vision. But the band’s slot in the studio was over, and Polvo had just showed up to work on their album, so off Velocity Girl went to shoot the video for “Audrey’s Eyes.” “Copacetic” came out in 1993 and people seemed to like it just fine, but within the band there was a sense of disappointment to the point where most members couldn’t stand to hear the record.

Between then and now, the band learned a lot about recording, and Archie Moore developed a career in audio work, and the band finally decided to revisit “Copacetic“. After extensive digging, the 2” tape reels appeared in Jim’s ex-wife’s mother’s house, and in the spring of 2023 Archie began working on a remix.

Song by song the new mixes emerged just as the band envisioned them. Soaring vocals from Sarah (who studied opera in college), chiming lead guitar, juicy fuzzed out rhythm guitars and clear pounding drums. The pop songs are much poppier. The sonic blasts are more powerful, and the record hangs together as a cohesive document that flows from song to song. The approach was not to make a 2024 sounding record but rather to go back to the 1992 mindset and create the record the band should have made then. The result, “UltraCopacetic” (Copacetic Remixed and Expanded), is an exciting alternate history of “Copacetic”.

And, while they were at it, the band dug up and refreshed the rest of their studio material from the era: “Ultracopacetic” includes “Warm/Crawl” from the Velocity Girl/Tsunami split 7”, “Creepy” from the Crazy Town 7”, “Stupid Thing” from the “Audrey’s Eyes 7”, and the unreleased album outtake “Even Die.” Topping it all off is the band’s complete five-song 1993 John Peel session, including two tracks that haven’t been heard since the original broadcast. “UltraCopacetic” is truly the definitive version of Velocity Girl’s first record. 

released August 16th, 2024 through Sub Pop Records

Captured live during an opening set for Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief, Palehound’s new live album, “Live at First Congregational Church“, is a beautiful time capsule, highlighting songwriter El Kempner’s unique power as a storyteller and musician. Recorded by Andrew Sarlo live on December 11th, 2021 at First Congregational Church in Los Angeles, the album features songs that would later appear on Palehound’s critically acclaimed album, “Eye on the Bat” (“Fadin’”), as well as classic songs like the title track to 2015’s “Dry Food” as well as “Aaron,” a standout from 2019’s “Black Friday”.

In addition to Kempner’s latest Palehound album, “Eye on the Bat”, and their work with Bachelor (a collaborative project with Jay Som’s Melina Duterte), Palehound has earned widespread critical acclaim in outlets such as The New York Times, Pitchfork, and NPR, which praised their unique sound and fearless artistic direction.

Palehound’s long and storied touring history has seen them play shows around the world alongside some of the biggest names in indie rock, including Big Thief, Sylvan Esso, Lucy Dacus, PUP and more. And it’s not just other artists who have been inspired by their music – Kempner’s passionate and introspective songwriting has struck a chord with fans around the world, cementing Palehound’s status as a deeply admired and widely influential artist.

released August 16, 2024

All songs written and performed by El Kempner

55 years and two days from now Jefferson Airplane took the stage at the muddy miracle that was Woodstock. The band had been one of the first to sign on for the festival, their imprimatur prompting many other acts to hop on board, and their stature had landed them a coveted headlining slot closing Saturday night’s schedule. But, as the torrential downpours and the unexpected crush of half a million people kept on delaying their set, the chances of putting on anything approaching a quality performance seemed to diminish. 

According to Paul Kantner, “We were supposed to go on at 10:30 at night and we’d been up and down about four or five times on acid that night, getting ready to go on, and then everything was delayed for whatever reasons. So, we didn’t get on until like 7:00 the next morning and everybody was pretty much burned out.”

At the muddy miracle that was Woodstock, the most miraculous performance just might have been Jefferson Airplane’s. The band had been one of the first to sign on for the festival, their imprimatur prompting many other acts to hop on board, and their stature had landed them a coveted headlining slot closing Saturday night’s schedule. But, as the torrential downpours and the unexpected crush of half a million people kept on delaying their set, the chances of putting on anything approaching a quality performance seemed to diminish.  

Kantner’s protestations to the contrary, the Airplane (with guest pianist Nicky Hopkins in tow) played a scorching two-hour set that defied the elements and the circumstances. Grace Slick led the charge as the band plunged into a frenetic version of Fred Neil’s “The Other Side of This Life”: “Alright, friends, you have seen the heavy groups. Now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn!” What followed was an adventuresome (and surprisingly tight) set that not only featured the band’s big hits like “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love” but also premiered songs from the “Volunteers” album that was still three months away from being released, including a 21-minute version of “Wooden Ships!” Indeed, about the only members of the crew who weren’t up to snuff were the ones filming the concert documentary, which explains why the Airplane is not one of the acts that commonly come to mind when thinking about Woodstock; they didn’t appear in the film due to subpar footage, and only one of their songs (“Volunteers”) was included the chart-topping 3-LP Woodstock release.

Now, Real Gone Music is proud to present Jefferson Airplane’s complete Woodstock performance. The 3-LP set comes inside a gorgeous, double-gatefold jacket sporting photos of the band at Woodstock, most of them taken by the legendary Henry Diltz; liner notes by folk-rock guru Richie Unterberger complete the package.

Pressed in iridescent, “clouds breaking” blue for its 55th anniversary, this release makes a convincing claim that Jefferson Airplane’s Woodstock performance ranks right up there with those of Jimi, Sly, and Santana as a festival highlight. Limited to 1000 copies!

Brabanthallen in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, On Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th November 2024, the Mega Record & CD Fair will take place in the Brabanthallen in ‘s-Hertogenbosch This fair, which is being held for the 59th time, brings together music lovers from all over the world to buy records, attend book presentations, see live performances and visit exhibitions.

This Impression of the 58th Mega Record & CD Fair as it was also organised in April 2024 at the Brabanthallen in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. This focuses primarily on the experiences and stories of exhibitors and visitors who attended this show. This edition took place in Halls 1, 2 and 3 of the Brabanthallen which together have a floor space of more than 16,000 m2.

A total of 552 stalls with hundreds of exhibitors from more than 32 countries, two stages, performances, signing sessions, DJs, an auction, thousands of visitors, and not to mention millions of records and CDs. If you have not been there yourself make sure you attend the next edition.

The fair is held twice a year in April and November. We are RecordPlanet the biggest Vinyl Show on earth

The debut album from Paris Paloma, “Cacophony” follows (and includes) her breakthrough single ‘Labour’. Written around themes of feminine rage, societal expectations on women and deeply embedded misogyny, the album continues the deep consideration and dissection of Paris’ own experiences and observations as a woman. ‘labour’, and subsequent singles including ‘as good a reason’, have seen her lyrics and music resonate deeply with an every growing fanbase.

The 700+ fans at her sold out London show were termed a ‘politely loving coven’, capturing the sense of community and female energy which Paris inspires. Unheard tracks such as ‘his land’ are emotive and cinematic, while the gloriously climactic ‘the last woman on earth’ has become a fan favourite already via TikTok. 

Paris says: Today I held my first ever album in my hands for the first time. I’m so happy to share this beautiful vinyl with you. Swipe to see the etching on the fourth side of the disc, and to the end to get a glimpse of the red gatefold vinyl, available only on my website. This is such a dream to see the culmination of so much work in physical form, I hope you buy it and love it and give it many spins.

King Hannah crafts a musical tapestry that seamlessly weaves between the serene depths of meditative pop and the expansive, sonorous landscapes brimming with darkness, wit, and wry humour. Merrick’s vocals, a smoky delight, imbue her words with profound weight and potency, complemented by the bluesy canvases Whittle masterfully paints beneath them. Their sound effortlessly transitions from moments of post-rock expansiveness to evoking the sensation of Springsteen straying onto a gritty side-street off his highway to freedom.

In recent times, the duo has graced stages alongside esteemed artists such as Kurt Vile, Thurston Moore, Kevin Morby, and DIIV, captivating audiences at festivals across Europe and North America including End of the Road, Green Man, Primavera Sound, and Fusion, among others. King Hannah’s accolades include being hailed as Stereogum’s Band to Watch, The Guardian’s Ones to Watch, Paste’s Best of What’s Next, and featured in DIY Magazine’s NEU segment, SPIN’s rising artists, and many more.

Effortlessly side-stepping from wispy & fragile folk to booming, Slint-like breakdowns, King Hannah’s second album softly entices its listeners in before rattling bones with cranked guitars and slammed drums.
The Liverpool duo haven’t wasted a single moment since their 2022 debut. They’ve fine-tuned their smoky atmospherics, nurtured a blues-y pop aesthetic, and riddled the whole shebang with a weighty post rock ballast that blows our socks off every time they kick into gear.

And for every storm, there’s a beautiful lull that creeps under your skin and radiates luscious great fronds of warmth out from within.

Between 1998 and 2003, Frank Black and co. released six albums under the ‘Frank Black And The Catholics’ moniker. All recorded live and direct to two track tape , the albums are some of the most energised, raw, and essential of Frank Black’s career.

For almost two decades, the Catholics’ studio albums have been out of print or unavailable on vinyl. Now, Demon Records is proud to present ‘The Complete Studio Albums’ boxset featuring all six original releases expertly remastered from the original studio tapes and pressed on heavyweight 180g clear vinyl.

Includes all six studio albums – ‘Frank Black And The Catholics’ (1998), ‘Pistolero’ (1999), ‘Dog In The Sand’ (2001) [first time on vinyl], ‘Black Letter Days’ (2002) [2LP, first time on vinyl] ‘Devil’s Workshop’ (2002) [first time on vinyl], and ‘Show Me Your Tears’ (2003).

Each album is pressed on 180g clear vinyl and housed in printed inner sleeves along with outer sleeves featuring spot gloss detailing.

All 80 tracks have been newly remastered from the original studio tapes by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering at AIR.

The albums are housed together in a rigid outer sleeve and accompanied by a 32 page booklet featuring new liner notes by Catholics producer / engineer Ben Mumphrey plus unseen and rare photographs by Steve Gullick.

This instalment in the acclaimed ‘Year’ series of the works of Marc Bolan and T. Rex takes in a period of change during which Marc Bolan was very active in recording studios in the US and Europe.

This 5LP set includes the “Tanx” and “Zinc Alloy” albums, and the non-album hit singles and their B- sides. LP4 features demos and outtakes from both albums, whilst LP5 focuses on Bolan’s forays into soul music, including highlights of the abandoned album he wrote and produced for Sister Pat Hall. The singles included are “Children Of The Revolution”, “Solid Gold Easy Action”, “20th Century Boy”, “The Groover”, “Truck On (Tyke)” and “Teenage Dream”. The 12×12 booklet contains a brand new 16,000 word essay by acknowledged Bolan authority Mark Paytress (author of the definitive Bolan biography), detailing Bolan’s life through this eventful period.

Demon Music continue with their year-themed Marc Bolan / T. Rex releases with CD and vinyl box sets focused on 1973 called “Whatever Happened to the Teenage Dream?“

Also featured are many previously unpublished photos taken by Keith Morris in the course of 1973, as well as ephemera from the era. The 5LP vinyl edition is pressed on orange vinyl and the official artists shop offers A4 prints of Tony Visconti’s score for ‘Whatever Happened To the Teenage Dream’ (note: these are not signed).

Additionally there’s a single LP ‘Songwriter’ version of this release and two seven-inch picture discs (20th Century Boy and ‘The Groover’ both limited to just 1000 units.